Police arrest 39-year-old Athens man in child exploitation case

ATHENS, Ga. - An Athens man faces charges of sexual exploitation of children after local and federal authorities investigated a report of illegal online activity Thursday.

Athens man arrested for exploitation

What we know:

Athens-Clarke County police arrested 39-year-old Timothy Lee Randles on Thursday and charged him with one count of sexual exploitation of children. 

The department's Special Victims Unit launched an investigation into Randles in March after receiving a Cyber Tipline Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The report flagged the possible online possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Both the FBI and the GBI assisted local investigators in the case.

What we don't know:

Investigators have not specified how long the alleged activity was occurring or the number of files involved. It is also unclear if Randles has obtained legal representation at this time.

Georgia ICAC Task Force efforts

Big picture view:

This arrest is part of a broader effort by the Special Victims Unit, which participates in the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The U.S. Department of Justice created the ICAC Program to combat the rising amount of child sexual abuse material online and to track predators targeting unsupervised children.